Brianna and Lord John arrive in Wilmington. With the prospect of seeing Bonnet in the flesh for the first time since he attacked her, Brianna’s determination crumbles. Her plan to face Bonnet is more difficult than she imagined. She pauses to gather her wits.
At the Mohawk village, Roger is delivering wood. At one point, he pauses to smile at the young woman who gave him the herbs. Katheroton strikes Roger in his injured shoulder (harder than the last time). He cries out and falls to the ground, but the chief intercedes. He orders Roger taken to a hut.
There, Roger meets another prisoner, a minister who has “sinned” with one of the Mohawk women (the woman with the baby who gave Roger the herb). The Mohawk want the minister to baptize the child. However, the minister believes his sin has made him unworthy to baptize an innocent. If he did so, he would condemn the child to a life as a man no better than him.
In Wilmington, Fergus is concerned about his plan to free Murtagh. Talking to Marsali, he wonders aloud what Jamie and Clare would do. Marsali has an idea, a new plan that includes her. It is still dangerous and means they’d have to leave Wilmington and move to Fraser’s Ridge immediately. But they have no choice but to free Murtagh.
Roger is listening to the minister explain why he cannot baptize his child. He understands the consequences and that he will die a horrible death – but he just can’t perform the baptism. And Roger can’t understand why not.
After the minister is free, he could arrange for another man of God to baptize the child. (I am of the same mind as Roger, here). But the minister is a man of principle and unwavering conviction. When the Mohawk come for him, he leaves Roger alone searching for a way to escape. Roger finds a soft spot in the dirt, grabs some broken rocks and starts digging.
That night, Roger can hear the minister’s screams. Roger digs faster. When the minister returns, naked and severely beaten, Roger tries to console him; he even recites a prayer.
After a while, the two men talk of sacrifice, love, and honor, but Roger explains that he is a changed man. Love has only given him pain. He has a new motto — look out for number one. As he makes these strong statements, Roger’s eyes fill with tears — we know he is still conflicted, but he can’t take the pain anymore.
Roger returns to digging, but now the minister joins him (sharing the jug as in the opening, maybe?). Time passes, and Roger threatens to give up — the hole will never be large enough.
The Mohawk return (again) and ask the minister if he’s made a decision. His mind is unchanged. He cannot baptize the child. The Mohawk take him away, and Roger is left alone to finish digging the hole.